We sure had an exciting morning at our place today. As many of you know, our United Church of Canada has a Moderator who is an ambassador and a spiritual leader. Not a person of power like the Roman Catholic Pope, but rather an individual to guide us, lead us, inspire us, and represent us to the world. It’s a wonderful privilege to be elected as the Moderator for the United Church. You serve for three years. This summer when we convene as a national entity, in Oshawa, we will once again be electing a moderator.

At the very end of our annual conference meeting in April, I did something very out of character for me, and yet not. You see, I don’t like speaking out at meetings, especially at large gatherings. As part of my daily private prayers, I had spent time giving thanks to God for the leadership of Rev. Wanda Stride as our conference president. I guess God agreed with me that Wanda was doing an amazing job because I believe God asked me to put Wanda’s name forth as a nominee for Moderator of our United Church. So I asked the business committee what the process was. I worked through all the hoops presented, and stepped forth in the dying minutes of our annual meeting. My heart was beating so hard. I kept telling God, this is your idea, give me strength.  I was told it could not happen because Rev. Wanda Stride had not been elected as a commissioner to the national meeting so she could not be a commissioner. The time crunch meant there was no discussion.

I went home angry and defeated.